This article was written by the Cordilleran Youth Center as posted on the 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗟𝗔𝗧 – Baguio Youth Innovation Hub Facebook page.

Seven youth teams presented their community-driven solutions during the Liwliwa Ya Sursuro (LYS) 2.0 Final Pitching and Recognition Day held on November 22 at the Baguio City Hall Multipurpose Hall. The event is part of the Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) Program, implemented by the Cordilleran Youth Center (CYC) in partnership with ICLEI Southeast Asia, Progressive Igorots for Social Action (PIGSA) and the Baguio City Local Government through the Baguio City Planning, Development, and Sustainability Office (CPDSO), and the 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗟𝗔𝗧 – Baguio Youth Innovation Hub.

The finalists delivered pitches addressing safety issues related to limited spaces for meaningful civic participation, unsafe and underutilized public spaces, and urban blight and low livability index, reflecting weeks of mentoring, caravans, and collaborative workshops.

After evaluation from the jury panel, two initiatives were selected for support and implementation:

• Team Verdan Spires, consisting of team members 𝙍𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡 𝘼𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙧, 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙂𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙩 𝙀𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙡 𝙏𝙚𝙜𝙬𝙖, 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙈𝙨. 𝙍𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙧. 𝙉𝙞ñ𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙘, for the 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲.
• Team SalinTanglaw, with team members with their project 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹. Members 𝙆𝙯𝙮 𝘼𝙮𝙖𝙣, 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞ñ𝙤, 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙝 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙮𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙣, 𝙍𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡 𝙊𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙯𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙈𝙨. 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝. 𝙆𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙯𝙚𝙪𝙨 𝘿𝙚 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨.

The remaining finalist teams— Team Bida Bata, Team Ligaya Co., Team ADSG-BYA, Team UB SBAA Student Body, and Team Kafagway—were recognized for their promising proposals and contributions to youth-led community building.

“The passion and clarity these young leaders carry reflect the realities they face and the futures they want to build,” said Janice Militar, Programme Manager of the Safe and Sound Cities Baguio. “Their ideas show that when youth are empowered to take up space, change becomes not only possible but inevitable.”

CYC also expressed appreciation to the jury, mentors, and partner organizations whose guidance strengthened each team’s project throughout the program.

The two selected teams will proceed to a post-selection preparation phase in the coming days, marking the start of their journey toward project implementation in early 2026.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘄𝗹𝗶𝘄𝗮 𝗬𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗼

Liwliwa Ya Sursuro is Safe and Sound Cities Baguio’s youth innovation challenge designed to empower young people to design solutions that contribute to safer, more inclusive, and youth-responsive communities in Baguio City.